What did you rehang today?

Agent_H said:
Both of those look great mako.

I like the fawn's foot. It might be the angle but maybe thin the handle a bit before chopping it off? It's a pretty piece of wood. Try to shape it from the fawn's foot up?

Either way, they both look like they were put together with care. Victory.:thumbup:
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Apologies, I missed your comment. Thank you!

It is the angle Btw... It's a House Handle (hand selected supposedly ;) ). More of a club when I received it but about an hour on the Delta Sanding Belt (you can just make out the edge of it in the pic) and then 45 minutes going from 80 to 120 to 180 and finally 320 and the heat gun for grip between coats. It's a slim handle that feels terrific in the hand.

Thanks again for noticing...
 
300Six said:
Carefully slimmed down and octagon shaped (from an ordinary mass-produced origin?) haft looks to be a lovely job on your part. Folks here keen on chopping really should take the opportunity to swing one of these in order to experience for themselves what they're missing when they settle for modern wood or plastic 'clubs'. The difference is not unlike riding in a car with springs and riding in one without.
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Thanks 300. The single bit hafts I am using right now are from House Handle. They are 32". I prefer that to 36" handles. Here is a shot of them I took before using them:
m2MX33R.jpg


I think the one I used here is either the 3rd or the 4th from the left. Used my spokeshave for trimming them down but I do follow the existing pattern. There is a 36" inch haft out on the bench that was as big as a horse's leg that I am octagonalizing on my own - we'll see how that one compares to the HH.
I agree, a well-shaped octagonal handle is really nice. Nothing wrong with the standard rounded hafts by any means but the octs seem to make your anchor and lead hands stay in line. Definitely like to round out the corners some.

*hadn't looked closely at this pic until now- I think it was the one far right I used- the discoloration was "hen pecks" - think that is one name for that but not sure.
 
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Question- I have this Link boy's axe handle that I screwed up a while ago, I took too much wood off and it will now only fit a large hatchet head. I've been holding it waiting for a head and now have one. It is a 30oz Dayton in very good shape. I have test fit it and it's a great match. My question is this: Is it better to scrap this handle and mount the head on an 18-19" handle like the one shown, or mount this and use it even though it may look just SLIGHTLY small? Opinions?

 
Agent_H said:
I like the hammers you post. There is a Skookum sledge outside here that wants a new handle. Any pictures of the small double bit?

Garrett, that is a great axe. There is room to rehang it as well.
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It's 8 inches across, 38 ounces. I think Steve Tall mentioned it as a possible Maine wedge, will work on ID when I clean it more.
 
jblyttle said:
Question- I have this Link boy's axe handle that I screwed up a while ago, I took too much wood off and it will now only fit a large hatchet head. I've been holding it waiting for a head and now have one. It is a 30oz Dayton in very good shape. I have test fit it and it's a great match. My question is this: Is it better to scrap this handle and mount the head on an 18-19" handle like the one shown, or mount this and use it even though it may look just SLIGHTLY small? Opinions?

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In general people seem well pleased with lighter heads on longer handles. The longer handle generates more power while the light head gives them good control.
 
Square_peg said:
In general people seem well pleased with lighter heads on longer handles. The longer handle generates more power while the light head gives them good control.
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I'm sold. I don't want to wast the handle and it will only fir this sized head now anyway. I now have tonight's project.
 
Square_peg said:
In general people seem well pleased with lighter heads on longer handles. The longer handle generates more power while the light head gives them good control.
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I'm sold. I don't want to waste the handle and it will only fit this sized head now anyway. I now have tonight's project.
 
jblyttle said:
What letters I see so far confirm this. Do you know what handle length is original, and what length range would be appropriate for a new one? 20-28" I'm thinking about 22-24".
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That is definitely an Emerson and Stevens stamp. Good find. Don't know about the handle.
 
Square_peg said:
In general people seem well pleased with lighter heads on longer handles. The longer handle generates more power while the light head gives them good control.
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SP,

I've sought your advice before and it's been well taken. On this point however I respectfully disagree. The long handle makes any travel or packing more difficult than necessary. Even as a tool to be kept in the truck it's to large. In addition, the light weight of the head, relative to a splitting axe, make it a bad candidate for that duty. IMHO, the man would be better served using the short(er) handle with that head for limbing, trail clearing and all around camp use. With the right edge it could serve as a hunting axe for pelvic bones, field quartering etc... It just seems to me meant for an everyday, keep in the pack 99% of the time kind of tool. I see both vintage and modern axes at a light 2lbs with a 19" to 24" piece of Hickory...they are very useful :thumbup:

Dutch S.
 
I gotta agree with Peg on this, a light head on a longer handle is an often overlooked option. I have a 1.4lb-ish plumb hatchet head on a 28" boys axe handle and it is becoming my go to axe for camping and fire pit chores, I've even cut down and de-limbed some bigger 6-8" standing trees without trouble (something that is certainly a chore with a shorter haft). It weighs about half as much as my normal size Plumb boys axe and much less than my 20" camp axe that has a 2.25lb head and it is more versatile than either in my opinion.

 
So here it is, looks better than the mock up. Some of you may remember the Link handle that I effed up around Thanksgiving trying to fit it to a head that was not sized for it. I'm happy to have saved the handle, this one fits right and is just slightly shaving the shoulder wood down on all sides. That is a hand made, custom fit mahogany wedge, wood glued in. everything oiled and waxed. the head is 2lbs, the handle is 27" and total weight is 43.5oz (2.7lbs).



 
I did this one for my brother. It's an older craftsman and I feel it came out pretty well. Def a fun project for a rainy day over the holidays.







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4-5 lb True Temper Jersey. 36 inch House of Handle. The Jersey was a pain in the butt to hang, it is my first Jersey.
 
Surprising it feels better than I thought. I thought it would feel weird but I split a couple rounds to test and it felt good.
 
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